Holiday Beauty: Starworthy Makeup Looks
Hollywood's top makeup artists reveal their favorite trends of the season
By Emily Hebert
"Holiday makeup should be glamorous with color and sparkle," says Angela Levin, whose clients include Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicole Kidman. Here, Levin and other A-list makeup artists reveal nine ways you can achieve that festive glow.
Photo: Theron: Getty Images; Meester: Retna
Silver-Gold Eyes
"Try a touch of silver or gold on eyelids," says Mary-Louise Parker's makeup artist, Tina Turnbrow, who recommends Tarte Lock & Roll in Gunmetal and Jemma Kidd Dual Illuminator in Champagne.
For Leighton Meester's sexy smoked-out version, Gina Brooke (Madonna's go-to gal and Shu Uemura artistic director) suggests Shu's Tsumori Chisato Planet Cat Couture Palette: "Use the shiny silver at the base of the lid, then apply the black to the perimeter of the eye and smudge. Go back with the silver or the copper to create a gradation, and for a more dramatic look, amplify eyes with the black-purple cream liner."
Photo: Kardashian: Retna; Fox: Getty Images
Lots of Lashes
"There's no better way to amp up your look than with long, lush lashes. I'm a huge fan of mascara-I love that women can wear oodles of it and it never reads as makeup," says Brett Freedman, who uses CoverGirl LashBlast in Very Black on clients like Emily Blunt and Vanessa Hudgens.
To achieve a superburst of fringe, Pat McGrath, global creative design director for P&G Beauty and Fashion Week regular, says to coat lashes with two different formulas: "Use LashBlast Length first and LashBlast on top so that you get length and volume."
Photo: Getty Images
Bold Lips
"I love red lips-they're eternally chic and look especially festive during the holidays," says Troy Surratt, the makeup guru behind Maggie Gyllenhaal's oft-deep-colored pucker. "If you have reservations about an opaque formula, try a sheer one like Lipstick Queen Medieval Lipstick, which is universally flattering and great for kisses under the mistletoe." Another deep-yet-more-subtle option according to Julie Harris, Anne Hathaway's makeup artist, is a soft berry stain.
Whether you go red or not, stains are a must if you want a bold lip color to last. "A stain won't rub off during holiday parties," says Mai Quynh, who works with Megan Fox, Miley Cyrus, and Kristen Stewart. "I really like Mark Kissink Lip Tintmarker in Red Siren-it's a highly pigmented, smudge-proof marker that's great for layering underneath lipstick for staying power."
Photo: Getty Images
Jewel-Tone Eyes
"I love navy, deep green, and purple for jewel-tone smoky eyes," says Turnbrow, who suggests smudging Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil around the lash line and crease and finishing with By Terry Powder Eye Shadow in Mure Nocture.
"If the thought of sparkling sapphire or emerald green intimidates you, try layering them on top of a gray or black shadow," says Quynh. "The result won't be too overpowering because the gray or black will dilute the intensity of the color."
Photo: Getty Images
Blushed Cheeks
"The holidays are great for wearing rouge on the cheek," says Levin, who favors colors that have a touch of gold ("When you smile, it picks up the light beautifully"). In particular, Levin is a fan of Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect: "The cheek colors have tiny bits of gold and bronze in them. I use them on a lot of my clients, and it gives their cheeks a dewy look." Levin says that the Coral and Pink shades go well with any skin tone but that she uses the whole of the spectrum (for a recent event, she brushed Blake Lively's cheeks with Rose).
Photo: Iman: Getty Images; Cotillard: Retna
Highlighted Eyes and Cheeks
While Mara Levarre accentuates Mariah Carey's cheeks with a dab of face cream mixed with gold or silver eye shadow, Surratt prefers a light-reflective powder like Shiseido Translucent Loose Powder in Septarian, which he calls "perfect for candlelit dinners and canoodling under twinkling Christmas-tree lights."
To brighten the eyes, Harris recommends dabbing the inner corners with a cream highlighter or brushing a light, shimmering shade underneath the lower lash line. And for an allover shine, Brigitte Reiss-Andersen says to add "some iridescent magic" to the décolleté area as she does with clients Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. Her pick: Benefit Moonbeam Cream.
Photo: Retna
Glittery Eyes and Lips
"There's a lot of glitter going on this season," says McGrath, who created dazzling eyes for the Christian Dior fall 2009 show. "We used Make Up For Ever Glitters and Face Stockholm Galaxy Glitter." For a fun holiday look, the makeup maestro says to mix glitter with a deep blue or burgundy eye liner (note: some liquid eye liners, like JK Jemma Kidd Silver Screen Mascara Liner Duo and M.A.C Softsparkle Eye Pencil, already contain a hint of sparkle in their formulas). If you choose to forgo liner, McGrath suggests dabbing glitter over a cream shadow like CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast: "A smoky eye is always nice, and glitter sticks to cream so you won't have to worry about it coming off."
For a pop-out pucker, a touch of glitter can also work wonders. "Place it in the middle of your lower lip for extra dimension and shine," says Reiss-Andersen, who uses Make Up For Ever Diamond Powder.
Photo: Getty Images
Rimmed Eye Liner
"My favorite holiday beauty trend is lining the rims of the eyes with a waterproof liner like Dior Crayon Eyeliner Waterproof in Noir Trinidad-it takes very little effort, and the look is instantly sexy," says Surratt, who adds that, "Using a waterproof pencil works well because you are applying it to the 'wet line' of the eye and tears can wash away an ordinary eye pencil."
Photo: Getty Images
Shiny, Nude Lips
A natural-looking pout is definitely practical ("At a dinner party it's easier to eat and drink with one," says Levarre). But going au naturel can be sexy too-especially if you add lip liner and high-shine. According to Levarre, "lining with a lip-tone color can give fullness to the mouth."
To add "instant glamour" to nude lips, Rachel Goodwin uses a "supervinyl lip gloss" on clients like Natalie Portman, Hilary Duff, Penélope Cruz, and Kate Bosworth. Says Goodwin: "Holiday makeup should feel glamorous and playful! Shiny lips will amp up an everyday look in seconds."
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